Memories
by ArcaneHex77
Summary: For Soma Week! The Spartoi team celebrates another great victory and share memories of past victories, but when Soul has nothing to say Maka gets pissed. Short and fluffy.


My contribution to Day 1 of Soma Week!

I give you: Memories

The moon that night was grinning a bit more excessively than usual. But the clear night sky that twinkled with vibrant stars gave the formidable moon a sense of pride rather than its accustomed daunting look. It was rather fitting for the atmosphere of the city below, jovial and safe after a horrendous war that frightened the citizens into a lock-down but victoriously won by the most esteemed of Shibusen students, famously known as Spartoi. Maka Albarn will never say she regrets being a member of the team. They were well admired by nearly everyone, and they were her closest friends. The times spent fighting, training, recovering, and laughing with them are some of the best in her life, and will forever be ingrained in her memory.

However as her teammates celebrated their recent victory, Maka was still in battle, fighting against the fearsome burn in her shoulder. Damn kishin got a lucky hit in the midst of her attack. No matter how much she doggedly tried to soothe the pain, there was no liberty for repose in Maka's injured shoulder. But of course, she put on a smile and did her best not to complain or make any indication of her discomfort. Soul had worked too hard trying to protect her and bandaging up her wound. She hadn't even wanted to go to this party at all, it was smarter to go home and rest, but she'd feel bad for being such a party-pooper and for holding her partner back from the fun. Unlike the wallflower he usually was, he was actually smiling and having a good time. After all he'd done, Maka couldn't ruin this for him.

So she sucked it up and smiled as Liz told a story about one of Kid's earliest missions with her and her sister as his weapons. "Patty gave us away when she started laughing like a maniac, and Kid ended up pulverizing the guy over a hairy mole on his left cheek."

"It was absolutely disgusting," Kid added, wrinkling his nose at the memory.

"Ugh, moles are gross!" Kim agreed. "I wouldn't be able to even look at him if he were my opponent. I'd burn his face off for his _own_ good."

"Oh, I'm sure the mole could have been easily taken care of with some medical attention," Kid noted. "But the lack of symmetry!" He scoffed. "It was completely revolting!"

At this Soul laughed, and Maka put on her fake smile and tried to at least chuckle.

"Soul, what's you favorite memory since you and Maka became partners?" Tsubaki inquired.

"Hn? Hmm," Soul pursed his lips and squinted just a bit, something he did a lot when he was thinking hard about something, Maka noticed. He didn't think long. "I don't know. I can't think of one."

Maka's fake smile slipped off her face like butter off a hot pan. "What do you mean you can't think of one? We've been partners for years and you don't have a single favorite memory?"

He shrugged. "Nah, not really."

The room got quiet, familiarly aware of the meister's easily raised temper. But it was so loud in Maka's head that she couldn't detect the awkward silence. There were so many great memories with Soul that she held dear, so many that she could start naming right off the bat, and he couldn't bother to mention one? No, not just one, he acted like he didn't even have a favorite memory of his time with her! How could he seriously be that callous? What kind of partner was he?

Or, the insecure side of her whispered, what kind of meister was _she_? She knew she could be hard to deal with sometimes, but was she so bothersome that every day being her weapon was a chore? Her anxiety only exasperated her anger. To think she endured sitting through this party when she could be sleeping off her pain all for his enjoyment.

She pulled a thick book out of a secret inside pocket in her jacket, and silently chopped Soul on the head, causing him to momentarily black out. Her team laughed it off, having seen the ordeal more times than Ox could count, while Soul remorsefully picked himself up. He didn't say anything to her, since he could already guess what her stroke of violence was for. Maka remained equally as silent, and proceeded to read her second carry-on weapon. Soul decided it was best to confront her later on, when her anger had settled down a bit, and not battle it out in front of everyone.

Soul only half listened to Black Star's loud rant of his Personal Best Killing that happened rather recently.

An hour later, Maka didn't object when Soul offered to take her home early. Actually, she didn't say anything at all, which Soul heeded as a bad sign. He continued to lead the way back to their apartment in silence. He wished they'd taken his bike, so the way home would be covered a lot quicker, but Kid's mansion was close enough for them to leisurely walk.

Another block passed and Soul tried speaking to his cross meister. "Your shoulder feeling okay?"

"Not really." No need to fake relief while she was angry with him.

Soul hadn't expected this. Immediately he realized her act and cursed himself for not seeing through it. Now he was the one questioning his own value as her weapon.

"Why didn't you say something? We could have left earlier and got you home to heal."

She focused on a fountain in the street as she resumed walking, refusing to look at him. "I was trying not to be a bother. But I don't see the point in that now." She grumbled the last part so much that Soul had to guess at what she said and hope he hadn't heard her right.

"You're still mad about earlier." Maka broke her stubbornness to look him straight in the eye, giving him the most sarcastic No Duh look her innocent face could muster. "I don't understand the big deal, Maka. So I couldn't think of a good story to tell. Who cares? Black Star seemed to fill in for me just fine."

"I care!" She snapped, and Soul looked up at the surrounding homes to make sure she wasn't waking anyone up. "It absolutely is a big deal if you're not comfortable with your partnership, especially if it's been going on for this long!"

Soul's attention completely abandoned the well-being of the surrounding city citizens and focused on his meister. His precious meister who he cared about more than anyone in the world, who he risked his life day after day to protect, and who for some reason believed he had a problem with her. "What are you talking about? What gave you that idea?"

"How could you not think of a single good memory from our partnership, Soul? I can think of many great times we shared but you can't think of one? Death, Soul, sometimes I think our partnership means nothing to you!"

Before Maka could catch her breath again, he was right there, barely two inches away from her face. He was pissed, that was evident, but he was also hurt, confused, and despondent when he spoke.

"Our partnership means _everything_ to me. You should know that, Maka. And maybe your shoulder also impaired your brain, because if I recall, I said I couldn't think of _one_ favorite memory." He gave her a second to digest this, and he could see her doll-like eyes soften from anger to confusion to something he couldn't tell. "If I had all night I couldn't name every favorite memory I have of us."

Maka looked down, afraid of her partner seeing the repentance and shame on her face. Perhaps she had overreacted and was just irritated by her shoulder and a little tired- no, she couldn't make up excuses for herself. She had overreacted. Period. And she felt awful about it.

"I- I'm sorry, Soul."

He did not get mad. He did not yell at her for being stupid or over aggressive and violent to him. No, Soul was very gentle as he wrapped a hand around her neck, and pulled her closer to him. He leaned into her, his mouth resting on her hair. Her scent engulfed and soothed his worried mind.

Very slowly, he turned and moved his hand from her neck to her hip, being careful not to touch her shoulder. "Let's get you home. I'll change your bandages and give you some pain medication." Maka nodded, not wanting to argue with him by insisting she could do it herself.

For the rest of the night she allowed him to assist her. While they were resting on the couch watching television, Maka's head resting against his shoulder, she decided that she would remember this day for a long time


End file.
